THE SPKUCE FIR 



235 



and the floral leaves are therefore brought close 

 together at nearly the same level. 



The male flowers of the Spruce are borne in the 

 axils of the leaves of a shoot formed in the previous, 

 year (see Fig. 96, B). The flower or cone begins with 

 a short stalk, on which are borne some bright green 



FIG. 96. A, Twig of Picea excelsa, bearing a young female 

 cone. E, Twig bearing several male cones. (7, Semin- 

 iferous scale from the female cone of A, showing two 

 winged ovules on the upper surface. A and B slightly 

 reduced, C enlarged. (After Beissner.) 



bracteoles. There is no perianth ; the floral axis above 

 the bracteoles only bears the stamens, which are 

 numerous and arranged in a spiral. The leaf-like 

 stamens are of a bright red colour ; in each of them the 

 free end of the staminal leaf is bent upwards at an 

 angle with the horizontal stalk. On its lower surface 

 the stamen bears two pollen-sacs, lying side by side, 



